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ART OF AND YAPIIAI-{A TTTTTTTT TTTTTTTTTT G. N0. 55'7,325. Patent eeeeeeeeeeeee UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. BURTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN MOORE, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, AND JAMES S. MCOABE AND WALTER A. BYRNE, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK.

ART OF AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRODYEING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,325, dated March. 31, 1896.

Application filed October 31, 1894. Serial No. 527,531. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE DEXTER BUR- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Art of Electric Dyeing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric dyeing in which the dyeable object is subjected to an electrolyzed dye liquor.

In the practice of electric dyeing in which copper or other metallic electrodes are employed metal is dissolved from the anode and deposited on the cathode, passing in solution through the dye liquor. This dissolved metalis beneficial to some dye liquors, but injurious to others. Moreover, the metallic anode is consumed and requires to be renewed from time to time.

The object of this invention is to effect the electric dyeing without contaminating the dye liquor by dissolved metals during the operation, thereby avoiding injury to the color and the material being dyed.

The invention consists in subjecting a d yeable object simultaneously to the action of a dye liquor and an electric current of a voltage of forty or more volts passed therethrough during the dyeing operation, said liquor being free from dissolving metal during the treatment.

In this process there is no dissolution of metal from the anode into the dye liquor, 3 5 such as occurs in the use of a metallic anode, and there is no deposit on thecathode, such as occurs in the use of a metal cathode for this purpose, and consequent injury to the coloring-matter is avoided, and an excellent heat is obtained.

The accompanying drawing represents a perspective view of this apparatus for carrying out this process.

Any suitable dye-vat, as 10, constitutes a part of the apparatus. This vat maybe constructed of wood, earthenware or other nonconductive material, and may be provided or not with a common or suitable mechanical means for immersing the object to be dyed in the dye liquor.

Electrodes 20 and 30 are disposed apart from each other in the dye-vat. These electrodes are constructed of carbon or a carbon composition, such as or similar to that used for carbon pencils for electric lights or carbon commutator-brushes for dynamos. For an ordinary dye-vat these carbon electrodes will be about a foot square, more or less, and three-eighths of an inch thick, more or less. A wire 21 connects the anode 20 with the dynamo, electric servicewire or any other suitable source of electricity, and a conductor 31 connects the oathode 30 with the negative pole of said electric source or with a negative service-wire. A rheostat 40 is preferably inserted in the circuit on either side of the tank.

In carrying out this process I use a dye liquor 50 of any suitable characteras, for instance, a solution composed of sodium chlorid, sulfuric acid and water. The proportions may be thirty pounds of sodium chlorid and twelve ounces of sulfuric acid to thirty gallons of water, to which is added any desired coloring-matter. These proportions may be varied. The specific gravity of the liquor should be about 1,000 to 1,025.

In the use of this process the material to be dyed is dipped into the dye liquor 50 in the tank 10 and the current of electricity is switched on. A current of considerable am- So perage and voltage is passed from the electrode 20 through the liquor to the electrode 30. This current tends to cause the separation of the fibers, so that the dye liquor has a free circulation among them to a degree that greatly 8 5 enhances the rapidity of the action of the dye on the material being dyed. Furthermore, by this opening or separation of the fibers a dye liquor of a less caustic or acid nature can be used, and this is believed to be the cause of the improved feeling and appearance of hats dyed in this way, a low grade of stock feeling and appearing equal to a much higher and costlier grade than was done by the old way. The material to be dyed may be dipped into the. vat, or passed over rolls, or plunged into the bath in any manner. The current may be regulated as desired by the rheostat 40 or by varying the distance between the electrodes in the bath. I have used a direct 10o current of five hundred volts and sixty amperes on a bath having a bulk of about two barrels, and the action of this current raises the temperature of the bath to 210 Fahrenheit, the proper dyeing temperature for the dye liquor above specified. For a tank six feet long, three feet wide, and one foot deep I provide means for supplying a current of two hundred and twenty volts and one hundred amperes. I have also used a current of six volts and four hundred amperes with good results for some work.

By the rheostat the temperature of the bath may be regulated to suit the requirements of the bath and of different dye liquors.

The electrodes being constructed of carbon,

they neither dissolve metal into the dye liquor nor receive deposits therefrom, and the coloring-matter is not injuriously afiected, as is the case with some colors where metallic electrodes are employed and dissolution thereof occurs.

Indyeing in those cases where heat is necessary the dye liquor may be heated to the required temperature either by the electric current or by any known means of heating, and after the liquor is heated to the dyeingpoint the object to be dyed is inserted therein and the bath is subjected to an electric current during the dyeing operation. This electrio current agitates the liquid and causes the dyeing matter to penetrate the substance of the article being dyed. The current may also be such as to maintain the dye liquor at the proper temperature during the dyeing operation.

This process is very useful in dyeing felt or fur hats of any pattern. The hat treated by this electric-bath process has a lively snap when indented, and a fine finish is imparted thereto. A greater number of hats or other fibrous substances to be dyed can be put in the tank or vat at the same time than was heretofore customary. The dye liquor when heated by an electric current is equally as efiicient at a lower temperature as at a high temperature when heated by steam, and it is therefore less irksome upon the workmen, who are not obliged to stand over hot steam. One workman can attend to two or more vats, and the dyeing process is completed in much less time than by the old method.

The invention is applicable to the dyeing of wool, cotton, silk, and other fibrous substances either in the form of raw material or manufactured products. It is useful in the dyeing of hats, textile and felt fabrics, furs and other analogous articles, leather, buttons of ivory, horn, and bone, and other porous substances.

I claim as my invention The 'art of electric dyeing, which consists in subjecting a dyeable object simultaneously to the action of a dye liquor, and an electric current of forty or more volts passed through said liquor, said current exposing the fibers of the dyeable object to the action of the dye liquor and said liquor being free from dissolving metal during the dyeing operation.

GEO. D. BURTON. Witnesses:

A. O. GAIsEA, HENRY BECK. 

